Sweet Anticipation
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: The joy of becoming a family is a sweet anticipation. Cowritten with Psychic101.


A fluffy Shules story that was cowritten with Psychic101, who was a lot of fun to write with! Enjoy, everyone!

Disclaimer: Not ours!

PsychPsychPsychPsych

Juliet O'Hara hating being pregnant.

A week past her expected due date, she was still very much pregnant, and very uncomfortable. Her back ached, her feet were swollen, and she waddled everywhere. The man who had done this to her, Shawn, found it adorable. She hated it, and she was fairly mad at him for getting her into this in the first place. After all, it was Shawn who had insisted on interrupting her early morning shower almost ten months ago.

She rubbed her belly and glared at Shawn, who was currently turning a box of cereal upside down in order to get to the prize. "Having fun over there?"

"Yes and no." Shawn dug his hand into the box and came out empty handed.

"The stupid cereal company forgot the ring," he grumbled, a frown spreading across his face. Shawn didn't think Juliet knew this but he was getting worried. Juliet was supposed to have the baby a week ago. What if something happened? Could this affect the health of the baby? Thoughts like these kept running through his mind. He looked up at Juliet and smiled.

"Have I told you recently that you look incredibly beautiful?"

"You have." But she didn't believe him. She was huge! With a soft groan, she struggled to her feet. Gaining her balance, she waddled into the kitchen. There was a carton of orange juice with her name on it in the refrigerator, and it was calling to her. She grabbed a glass from the cabinet.

As she grabbed the juice from the fridge and poured it, her mind strayed to the nursery down the hall. This was her first baby, and she was absolutely determined to have everything ready and perfect for when they brought their baby home. Her mother would be coming up from Miami, and offers to baby-sit had been pouring in over the last two months from almost everyone they knew. Even her partner, Carlton Lassiter, had quietly offered to take care of the baby once Juliet actually gave birth.

Which didn't seem to be anytime soon. She scowled and shifted uncomfortably.

"Good because I mean it. You are beautiful," Shawn told her. He still couldn't believe he was going to be a father. He remembered all of times when he would get asked what he was going to do with his life when he grew up and he always answered, "I'm never going to grow up." Yet here he was waiting for his baby. His baby. He still loved the way that sounded. He was going to love his baby no matter what. It could have extra parts or no parts and he would still love it with all of his heart because he and the most beautiful girl in the world had made it.

"Jules, you okay?" he asked, watching her shift.

"I'm fine." Her doctor had warned her that since this was her first pregnancy, she could very possibly be overdue. She just didn't mention how uncomfortable it would wind up being. Maybe if she lit a fire, she could smoke this kid out.

"Are you sure? You look mighty uncomfortable over there." He slowly walked over to where she was standing.

"You try worrying about pushing something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon, and we'll see how good you look!" she snapped.

"Okay I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it." He held his hands up in surrender. "I just want you to be as comfortable as you can." He walked closer to her.

Sighing deeply, Juliet finished off her juice, and she started to feel a little better. "I'm sorry, Shawn. I'm just... This is really uncomfortable, and I just want to be able to hold her already." They didn't actually know the baby's sex due to the baby's stubbornness and refusal to cooperate and get into the correct position each time Juliet went to her OB-GYN. But Juliet had a strong feeling that she was carrying a little girl.

"Or him," Shawn said. He would be happy with either but he really wanted a son. He was right next to her now. He put his hand on her belly and rubbed circles over it. "And I know, Jules. I want to hold him or her too." He kissed her cheek.

She leaned into him, enjoying the skin on skin contact as it finally dawned on her that they wouldn't have much more of this. The quiet, just the two of them... With any luck, very soon it would be the three of them. Her hand came up and played with the soft material of his old Jets t-shirt.

"I'm sure the baby will be here soon," Shawn said confidently, kissing her again. He was lying. He honestly thought that the baby may never come. His dad had told him that being a father meant being calm and patient. But he wasn't either of those things and the wait was starting to kill him. It was also starting to worry him with each passing hour that he went without holding the baby.

As she nestled closer to him, a sharp pain suddenly went through her abdomen. She gasped and leaned over, gripping the countertop tightly.

"Juliet, are you okay?" He asked frantically. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

She let out a slow, measured breath. "Call Gus and your dad. Tell them to meet us at the hospital." She turned her head slightly, and though there was pain in her eyes, there was also excitement. "She's coming."

"Okay I'll call in the car. We have to actually get to the hospital before they can met us there," he explained. He grabbed her overnight bag before looping his arm around her waist and helping her to her car.

She allowed him to help her to the car, and within an hour, they were at the hospital she'd chosen months ago. She was settled in a room in the Maternity Ward, and since she had convinced Shawn not to make any calls while they were actually on the road, he was outside making them now. For the moment, she was resting comfortably in the narrow hospital bed. The contractions were uncomfortable, but not yet unbearable, and suddenly she wished that her mother was there with her. Though they had a strained relationship, she honestly did want her mother there while she delivered her first child.

She had never gone through this before, so she handled it the only way she knew how. She gave Shawn a list of people to call (Gus, Henry and Lassiter would be the only ones actually allowed at the hospital. Everyone else could wait until mother and child were safely home) and told him not to panic. But she was worried that she had only succeeded in making him panic even more. He didn't like seeing her in pain, and he didn't know how to handle it.

A nurse came into the room and smiled kindly at Juliet. "How are we doing, sweetheart?"

"I'm okay."

"Well, I'm just going to take a little look and see how things are coming along," the nurse explained, putting on a pair of gloves.

Juliet closed her eyes and tried to relax, and when the nurse was finished, she said, "You're at about four centimeters. You'll be holding your baby in just a few hours."

Juliet couldn't stifle a small groan. A few hours... Well, what was a few hours longer when she had waited a whole lifetime to meet this child? She supposed not too much.

Shawn was pacing outside the room he had just called Lassie and Gus all that was left was his dad. His dad picked up on the first ring. "Hey, Dad, it's time," Shawn said into the phone. "Dad? Dad?" He frowned as he pulled the phone from his ear and looked at the screen. The call had ended. He started pacing faster. Juliet had told him to be calm... How in the world could he be calm? The woman he loved was going through so much pain and he could only watch. He loved this baby so much but he also hated it for putting Juliet through this agony. He walked into her room and smiled at her.

"Gus, and Lassie will be here soon and my dad... I think he went into shock." He walked next to her and held her hand.

She closed her fingers tightly around his. "The nurse said it's going to be a few hours." At least Gus and Henry would have the foresight to bring Shawn something to eat. Maybe she wouldn't have her mom, but she would have four of the most important men in her life with her. She wouldn't be alone. Shifting uncomfortably, she held onto Shawn's hand tightly.

"I know. Well, actually I don't know. But you need to calm down. We both do. Stressing isn't going to help. As for a few hours, it's going to be worth the long wait," He stroked her cheek with his other hand.

She chuckled at his attempt at a pep talk. He was cute when he was flustered and at a loss for what to do. But within a half hour, he started to calm down. His dad had shown up first and managed to calm his son down a little. Shortly after Henry arrived, Gus and Lassiter arrived within just a minute of each other. Lassiter went into the room long enough to prove he was there and hug his partner. Then he retreated to the safety of the Maternity waiting room, where several nurses confused him for an expectant father.

Gus also went into the room, but like Lassiter, he didn't stay long. But instead of going to the waiting room, he stood out in the hall, in case he was needed.

Henry, despite his discomfort, stayed in the room for a while. Juliet appreciated his presence, because he calmed Shawn and in turn, Shawn was able to calm her.

The hours passed slowly, and as the pain steadily worsened for Juliet, Shawn became increasingly restless. Finally Henry was ushered out of the room, and Shawn was on his own as he tried to comfort his wife.

As the contractions came closer and closer together, the doctor who would deliver Juliet's baby kept a close watch on her. She seemed calm and relaxed, having done this many times already. Everything was progressing normally, and the only ones who actually seemed anxious were Shawn and Juliet.

"Get this kid out of me!" Juliet cried out as another contraction forced her to bear down.

"Jules, hon, just a little longer," Shawn said, holding her hand and wishing his father had been able to stay. He was really anxious he wanted to see and hold his baby. But things were going to be different. He would have to be more grownup, and things wouldn't be just him and her anymore. They would have a baby. And the baby would have to factor into any changes they wanted to make. It was a little crazy for a psychic and a cop to be having a baby because of their line of work, but he was going to make this work.

"Shut up, Shawn!" she snarled.

The doctor smiled, sitting on a stool at the end of the bed. "You're doing great, Juliet. I can see the head."

Juliet groaned, not able to focus on anything but the pain and the tiny human trying to come into the world.

"Just squeeze my hand." Nervous she would snap again, he didn't dare say anything else. Instead he watched the doctor work. He was moments from seeing his baby for the first time.

"Okay, Juliet. Give me another good push," the doctor encouraged.

Squeezing Shawn's hand even tighter, Juliet gritted her teeth and pushed.

"Again, Juliet!"

She was beyond exhausted, but somehow she managed to comply.

A few moments later, the doctor was holding a tiny, messy baby in her practiced hands. The baby sucked in its first gasp of air, then started to and sobbing at the same time, Juliet collapsed back against the pillows and finally relaxed as her baby's cries filled her ears.

"You did it, Jules. You did it." Shawn kept a firm grasp on her hand even though his was hurting, and he kissed Juliet's forehead. He looked over at the doctor who was still holding the crying baby.

Once the cord was cut, the baby was quickly whisked off to a corner of the room, where she was weighed, measured and cleaned off. Then the nurse wrapped her in a soft pink blanket and carried her to Shawn. "Here is your daughter..." She placed the newborn in Shawn's arms.

Shawn looked down and smiled. Juliet had been right it was a girl. Times like these made Shawn wonder if she was really psychic. "Hey, baby girl," he said softly. He rocked her gently for a moment. Then he placed the baby in Juliet's arms. "She looks like you." He smiled, looking down at the two of them.

Juliet laughed tearfully as she cuddled her little girl close. She was absolutely drained, and her eyes drifted shut.

"Told you she was a girl."

Shawn just laughed.

PsychPsychPsychPsych

Lassiter was the first one to spot Shawn, and he motioned for Gus and Henry. "How is she?" he demanded, his weariness and concern for his partner clear in his features.

"Relax, Jules is just fine, Uncle Lassie," Shawn said with a smile.

"It's a girl?" Henry asked.

"I thought it was going to be boy," Gus said.

"That's what I thought, too. But she's perfect, and I love her already." Shawn smiled even wider. Gus gave his friend a 'man hug', as they called it, before he ran out to call Chief Vick and everyone else. Lassie went to get a camera from the car (he actually went to put his gun away), leaving Henry and Shawn all alone in the hall.

"So how was it?" Henry asked.

"It was amazing. I never thought it would be like that."

"Shawn, most parents would say it just gets better... it doesn't. Soon she'll be walking, talking, going to school. Then she'll want to start having boyfriends. And if she's anything like you…well, good luck," He patted his son's shoulder and walked away to find Gus.

Shawn stayed in the hall for a few minutes, just letting everything soak in. Then he went back into his wife's room.

Their new daughter was on Juliet's chest, and Juliet's eyes were closed, but as Shawn walked over to the bed, she whispered, "We need to name her."

"I guess we do, don't we?" he whispered back, pulling a chair next to the bed and grabbing Juliet's hand.

"We can't go around calling her, 'Hey, you!' for the rest of her life." She kissed the baby's head.

"But 'Hey Kid' could work. Couldn't it?" he joked.

"Not for my baby." She grinned when the baby opened her eyes drowsily. "What do you think about Molly, Shawn?"

"Molly reminds me of Ringwald, but she's a good actor, so I like it a lot."

"Leave it to you to bring up something from the 80's. Do you have any better ideas?" She ran her finger along the baby's chubby cheek.

"Hey the 80's was a good era and i will fight anyone who disagrees. What abut Arika?"

"No." The baby squirmed and sighed before settling down again. "Margaret? Olivia?"

"Olivia? That sounds like Olive and she looks like an olive right now. Wrapped safely in a bundle."

"Cecilia? Mirabelle?" She studied the baby's face. "She kind of looks like an Annabella."

"Annabella… That's a unique name, just like her... I think it fits." Shawn smiled at the little baby.

Juliet sighed contently and let Shawn take the baby into his arms. She was completely exhausted, but at the same time she had never felt more content. "Annabella Carly," she added drowsily, closing her eyes. They had discussed naming the baby after Carlton as a joke, but the more she thought about it, the more the name seemed to fit. Annabella Carly Spencer.

"Annabella Carly. That sounds right. Lassie will be thrilled." He kissed Juliet's forehead carefully. Then he walked over by the window and looked outside."I'm going to protect you from all of those bad men out there. No one is going to hurt my little girl," he told the sleeping baby in his arms. For the first time in his life, Shawn was actually happy that he had been wrong. He had guessed they were having a boy but instead they got a perfect little girl.

Juliet smiled as she listened to Shawn speaking to their baby. They really were blessed. They had each other, and now they had a beautiful little girl.

Life didn't get much better than this.

The End!

A/N: Hehehe, Shawn would so name his kid after Carlton just to mess with him. Hope everyone enjoyed our first story together! Thanks for reading!


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